Subsidiary Bodies Coordination

Overview

The conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions have recognized the benefit of enhanced collaboration and cooperation among their subsidiary bodies.

For example, the POPs Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention and the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention both review chemicals (sometimes the same chemicals) for listing in the annexes to the respective conventions. Sharing information, their experiences and expertise in a timely manner may substantially support their work.

The Basel Convention's Open-ended Working Group develops various technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes, including for e-waste and POPs wastes. Experts of the POPs Review Committee and the Chemical Review Committee may have technical inputs to the drafting of such guidelines.

Therefore, the activities to support the work of and coordination among the subsidiary bodies of the conventions were proposed as follows:

Objectives:

Enhance collaboration and cooperation among the subsidiary bodies of the three conventions through technical and policy support provided in a coordinated manner;

Provide opportunities for the three subsidiary bodies to discuss and share expertise on common issues;

Strengthen linkage between the members of the subsidiary bodies and the contact points of party countries;

Share information among the three subsidiary bodies on cross-cutting scientific, technical and policy issues.

Activities:

Ensure coordination in the organization of the meetings of the subsidiary bodies, e.g. organization of back-to-back meetings;

Organize a meeting of the chairs and bureaux members of the subsidiary bodies to identify and address cross-cutting issues;

Implement follow-up activities identified by the chairs and bureaux members of the subsidiary bodies to enhance synergies at the subsidiary body level;

Organize webinars and facilitate coordination to support the collaborative work between the scientific bodies of the conventions and to strengthen the linkage between the members of the subsidiary bodies (in particular the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee/Chemicals Review Committee) and the contact points of party countries.

Reference: UNEP/FAO/CHW/RC/POPS/EXCOPS.2/INF/12, Activity 12 (S6), Support the work of and coordination between the scientific bodies of the conventions